Sherman looking into city-wide smoking ordinance

SHERMAN, TX - Smokers in Sherman might have to be more careful where they take a drag, the City is considering a smoking ordinance.

Many local restaurants have gone non-smoking, and now, Sherman is looking into adopting a city-wide smoking ordinance.

"I've actually talked to a couple of restaurant managers who've made the decision to go non-smoking, that's what their customers want, they've been successful, in fact, it's increased their business. So we know this can be done successfully and we are looking for a way to implement that city-wide," said Sherman Mayor Cary Wacker.

A smoking ordinance would place restrictions on where smoking is allowed. Mayor Wacker says they're looking into what other Texas cities have done.

"With the number of people who die each year from smoking, and not only smoking but breathing the second hand smoke, I'm for any type of ordinance that prohibits that," said Bud Harvey.

"I work at Texas Road House and we have no smoking there also and I greatly appreciate not going home smelling like a cigarette everyday," said Alicia Hall.

Fulbelli's owner and chef TJ La Rosa says their building was already non-smoking before his restaurant moved in--and that's what he prefers, "it's not a very friendly fragrance it really isn't and when you're mixing it with food in the restaurant business you want a restaurant to smell really good, you don't want it to smell like smoke,"

LaRosa says patrons and employees who want to smoke, can step out on a balcony and shut the door.

The owner of Humidor in Sherman says she hopes any ordinance would allow places that already allow smoking inside, to continue.

"It would definitely hurt bars if they're going to try to make it non-smoking because a non-smoking bar doesn't work. Restaurants that already allow smoking should be able to continue to do so," said Stacie Stuart, owner of The Humidor.

Some local restaurant and bar owners told News 12 they fear a ban on smoking would cause customers to go somewhere else.

Mayor Wacker says it will be weeks before any kind of smoking ordinance is brought before the council.

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